The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
In the early 1900's, a California inventor named William K. Murphy invented a space-saving bed that can be folded when not in use. Foldout beds, or “Murphy” beds, have been popular since then. Foldout beds can be mounted to the floor, secured to the wall behind the bed, or housed in free-standing cabinets. Foldout beds typically require a series of high-tension springs that serve as a counterweight to the bed frame to which they are attached.
In the time since Murphy's invention in the early 1900's, foldout beds have fit into one of two general categories. Beds in the first category, often called “closet beds,” “cabinet beds,” or “door beds,” are similar to Murphy's original design, taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,007,596. These designs have a counterbalance mechanism attached to both the bed frame and a support frame. These traditional bed assemblies are generally easy to install. However, the frame must be housed in a closet-style cabinet with doors to hide the counterbalance mechanism when in an upright position. Unfortunately, these closet-style cabinets can be quite cumbersome and expensive. Additionally, the doors are aesthetically undesirable when the bed is in an unfolded position because it makes the user feel like he/she is sleeping in a closet. The doors also occupy room space. As a result, the traditional “closet bed” has somewhat fallen out of favor with consumers.
The other category, called “panel beds,” solves the aesthetic problems of “closet beds” by placing the counterbalance mechanism within the housing along the sides of the bed frame, rather than between the bed frame and support frame. This counterbalance configuration allows for a panel to be directly attached to the underside of the bed frame, which eliminates the need for a door. When the bed is in a folded, upright position, all components of the bed assembly are hidden either within the housing or behind the panel, which can be stylized to look like a cabinet. Eliminating the need for a set of doors to conceal the bed makes “panel beds” less expensive overall than “closet beds” because there are less moving parts. However, although “panel beds” are aesthetically preferred and less complex than “closet beds,” they can be difficult to ship and install due to the large size of the panels.
Thus, there is still a need for an improved foldout bed assembly.